How do you feel when people who are not in your Frat/Sor. wear your letters?
 

I hate when people not in my fraternity wear my letters, sweet hearts! I never seen males wear my letters if they are not in the fraternity but girls I have If you did not pledge my fraternity and work for them, you should not wear em'. The only reason I see chapters of any fraternity let-ing girls wear their letters, is because they use this as a way of showing off to others, that girls like them. HAHAHAHA>That's wack! Girls wear the letters, thinking their some thing special....hahaha>That's wack! People who do this, come on....you don't look like a pimp and you don't mean anything special to the fraternity as a whole. If anything, chapters should make sweaters with their chapter names on em'> That's cool...it shows that the girl is important to the chapter. I'm a bring it up to my chapter, damn I'm creative. We never had sweet hearts, because we don't believe in having people not in our fraternity wearing our letters.
-Heath
[SIZE=7]FKT[SIZE]-[SIZE=4]EPSILON THETA chapter SFSU[SIZE]

I don't have a problem with it at all. Dates from dances wear shirts that have our letters. My friends younger sister wears our shirts, I think it's cute. As long as they aren't doing things that would represent my sorority in a negative light, I'm all for it!

I agree, the actual Greek Letters should be saved for members and people special to the fraternity or sorority. But I think that people could were the English letters if it is on a shirt that announces an event or philanthropy.

I remember...
 

I remember at a party my X-boyfriend kinda flew off the roof because one of the sorority girls that was there was wearing a sweatshirt with his letters. His older brothers calmed him down though and explained to him that she was just a little cold. I was glad I had never done that:D

Whoa...on my campus, letters were considered a VERY special thing, to be worn with respect.

We of course had shirts for our big dances, but in general there were no letters, just the name of the fraternity or sorority written out. There are some cases where you would see letters, maybe for formal favors (like one semester we had "surgeon's pants"), or for philanthropy shirts that listed the letters of ALL houses participating...but never across your chest, or big, or anything.

I don't know, I just don't think it's right!

My sorority doesn't allow anyone but initiated sisters to wear or display the Greek letters - whether they are stitched-on, screenprinted, lavaliers, keychains, anything. New members and non-members can wear the letters spelled out, either "Alpha Epsilon Phi" or "AEPhi".

If I saw a woman wearing letters, I'd assume she's a sister, and I'd be annoyed if I found out otherwise. If I saw a man wearing letters, I'd want to know why, and explain that they are the letters of a national sorority and only initiated members should be wearing them.

If I saw anyone (male or female) wearing the letters spelled out, I'd want to find out what their relationship to AEPhi is... if it's a woman, maybe she's a new member or a sister, or a mother of a sister... if it's a man, maybe his wife, girlfriend, daughter, etc. is an AEPhi. But I would not be annoyed. Same thing if I saw anyone (male or female) with an AEPhi keychain, car sticker, etc. even with the Greek letters... after all, you're not going to take the AEPhi sticker off your car when your husband wants to drive it :D

However, I would be upset if I saw anyone wearing or displaying anything associated with AEPhi while drinking, doing drugs, etc.

I have this post under another thread, but I wanted to post it here as well...

I have four fraternities' letters: Pi Kappa Phi (their rush shirt, I was dating the president at the time), Sigma Nu (their rush shirt, my sister got it, and won't wear it so she gave it to me), Sigma Phi Epsilon (date function, Carolina Cup), and Sigma Chi (derby days). I don't wear the Sigma Nu one except to sleep in, even though I know a lot of the guys, and i'm sure they wouldn't mind... but I'd be afraid that the ones who DON'T know me would be mad about it. I don't wear the Pi Kapp one in public, either, but mainly because ALL the guys know me, and my boyfriend and I had a less-than-easy break up. I do wear the Sig Ep and Sigma Chi ones. And I think that's appropriate. Also, my sorority does order shirts for our dates. And I make a point to ask guys if I see them wearing them, but don't recognize them, who they went with. I always have known their dates, but if I were to EVER catch someone who had gotten it from a non-sister, I'd be pretty ticked. We have a little joke, "only to hot guys." The thing is, they're representing us as well, and we want to make sure that they ARE representing us well... and chances are if they were a sister's date, then they are quality. My question for y'all, though, is what letters do you think are appropriate for girls to wear, and what should be for only LAVALIERED girls to wear?

Look at Pi Kapp 142 CarolinaDG
 

Look at what he wrote, I agree. Eh, DG did you every go to "LeaderShip academy?" I think that was what it was called back then.
-Heath.

Ok, I did actually look at Pi Kapp's response. The thing is, though, according to Pi Kapp as well as yourself, I shouldn't be wearing the Sig Ep's letters nor the Sigma Nu's (the Pi Kapp's and the Sigma Chi's are both spelled out). Now, I don't wear the Sigma Nus in public, just as I've already stated, because I would feel weird, but explain the problem with the Sig Ep's to me. They are greek letters SFE but I still don't see what the problem is. A brother bought the shirt for me and gave it to me. Many other of the guys dates have it, too. I understand not wanting for girls to wear, say, a sweatshirt with the letters on it, but when a brother gave me this t-shirt, why is it a problem?

Also, what are you talking about, "Leadership Academy"?

OK, ao I understand that some fraternities and sororities would be upset at just anybody wearing their letters. Sigma Nu on my campus only gives their letters (all shirts etc.) to the woman they think that they are going to marry. Other fraternities give their shirts to people close to the fraternity as a good relations type thing. Some give them as a rush incintive (like if a guy sees a hot girl wear this shirt, they may be more apt to be interested in that fraternity or greek life in general). My boyfriend is in a local Indiana based fraternity and gave me a shirt because he likes seeing me in his letters. I do understand that if I saw some random guy wearing his letters, that both he and I would get offended, just as I would some random girl wearing mine. But I wouldn't jump the gun, some people like to share their love of something with the people they are with.purple

I posted in the other thread with the exact same name-what is the difference in the threads? Why are there 2 with the exact same names? -anyhoo, my boyfriend is a Sigma Nu-and he pinned me-and none of his brothers ever had a problem with me wearing his letters occasionally-I'm also a Sweetheart for his chapter. (This post is just a basic synopsis of what I wrote in the other thread).

At Leadership academy....
 

At "Leadership Academy," held by Phi Taus and Delta Gammas there were shirts, I heard from older brothers that read FKT and DG blah blah blah. So, in that case it was cool. I am going to make a wild guesse and say you are a newer sister of DG; If I'm wrong, my bad. I have been in FKT for 1 and half years and I know the newer brothers don't know about "Leadership Academy." That is a shame because that type of event should be remembered because that is when we were best with each other. When events have more then one participant, it is all good to have every ones names on the shirt.
-Heath

I'm confused, when girls and I at my school talk about wearing letters we mean the stitched letters that are by themselves on a shirt, not letters that are on a rush t-shirt, a party t-shirt or a formal shirt...the letters are really significant and no one would wear ACTUAL letters, but plenty of girls wear shirts that say KA Rosebowl on it, or something similiar...

DG it is TEAM
 

I think your right, it is TEAM

I don't believe that anyone should wear the letters of an orginaization that they are not a member of. My step dad is an Alpha and my mom would always wear his shirts around the house and it would always make him mad so he went and got her a black t'shirt with gold letters made stating " My man is an Alpha man". If someone is wearing the letters of a sorority/fraternity they are representing that organization and if they are not a part of it they may do or say something to make that organization look bad.
________
Shower tube

Oh, yeah, I think that if it's the huge block letters on a sweatshirt or something, then you shouldn't be able to wear that... unless you're lavaliered. Part of being lavaliered is saying that the person's special enough to wear the fraternity's letters. And, let's face it, if my sister (who is married to a Pi Kapp) were walking around with a sweatshirt with the big block Pi Kappa Phi letters on it, then people would know that she's not actually IN the fraternity, she's just seriously involved with someone who is. I've never seen her do that, anyway, I just see her with the bid day shirts on and stuff.

so *that's* what those things are?!?!
 

I didn't want to start a whole other thread on this, so I tried to find a thread already started to put this in, I'm bumping it up..

... Since I work retail, I like making conversation with customers, and today a young lady came in the store wearing a GFB sweatshirt. I asked how she was doing and where she was a Gamma Phi.

"Huh?"

"A Gamma Phi Beta.. like on your sweatshirt"

"What is that? I don't know, my friend just made this sweatshirt and gave it to me"

"Gamma Phi is a national sorority"

"Oh.. where are they?"

"I'm pretty sure they have chapters all over the place"

"Is it at least a girls' sorority?"

(huh? I didn't know there were any other kinds of sororities)

... I just thought it was weird she said her friend made the sweatshirt and gave it to her and she didn't even know that the symbols were greek letters? :confused:

other people wearing your letters
 

My b/f is a lambda chi...and we've been dating for over 2 years...so when I wear his letters let me tell you...I feel like I earned 'em with everything we've been through, but on a serious note--this might make me sound like an awful mean person, but seriously...when we do crush party with another sorority...I hate having their letters and ours on the shirt. I don't want people to confuse me with them. Isn't that awful? I'm all for Greek unity and whatever, but my letters are just that: MINE!

A run in with a 'fake' Chi-O
 

So, I was walking around Opry Mills mall once in pin-attire (I was wearing my pledge pin and a lavaliere) and I saw a girl with a HUGE bag with Chi Omega on it (the greek letters over the crest)... I was soooo freaking ecstatic! I go over to her and ask what chapter she is from and she looks at me like I am a freak. I point to her bag and tell her that I am a new member from the Austin Peay chapter. She still had no clue what I was saying... so, embarrassed I asked if she was a Chi Omega. She asked,” What’s Chi Omega?" I about died! She told me that she found it at Goodwill and thought it looked cute.

Even though I was so angry I explained that Chi-O is a women's fraternity and went into the huge shpeil about why it is fabulous. I was so mad, but I didn't want her first experience with a Chi-O to be a crazy girl ripping off her bag!:( Anyway, she then said laughing,"Oh my gosh, I should totally tell people I am a Chi Omega from now oh, huh?" :mad: :eek: :o

Ah! I told her calmly (I was so impressed I was being so diplomatic) that it probably wouldn't be a good idea because it might cause so much confusion with future run-ins with another Chi Omega. I also made some statement to the affect that only members of Chi Omega should own such items... but I said it in a way that was nice and nonaggressive. I mean, I wasn't about to give her a huge lecture about Greek Life since she obviously had no concept of it at all! Sigh... yeah, needless to say, I was so freaking embarrassed.

WOW, didnt know Clarksville Had a Shopping Center!:D

Would I be upset, Maybe, if upon asking questions and go DA, yepper I would get a little upset myself! Question being are they representing Your Chapter and Greek Org. in the proper way!;)

Ask any Court Judge Ignoranze is not a killing Offense!

Tom, Clarksville has Governor's Square Mall. The mall BabyHootie is referring to, Opry Mills, is in Nashville. :)

I actually have 4 Sig EP lettered shirts. They all came from my X. It's common for girlfriends to wear their boyfriends letters around the house or campus to promote big events. None of the boys seem to mind. Even though we broke up I still wear the shirts once in a while because we're still close and I'm close with a lot of the guys as well.

Others in letter
 

Several years ago I noticed a shirt that said "Phi Mu Halloween Bash" on a woman in line at the grocery store. At first I thought "cool" as there are no collegiate chapters in the area, and then I realized (NO offense to anyone) that she was probably one of the intinerant worker from the local orchards (given the time of year and those accompanying her). I could have been annoyed that she had our name on her chest, but I took it more like "thank goodness a sister gave her shirt so that someone who really needed it had clothes to wear". I would rather help clothe someone who could use the help than have our "letters" etc end up in a landfill when there is still wearability in the shirt.

At my school, girls wore guys fraternity shirts all the time. It was, like an earlier post said, kind of good PR to see a nice looking girl walking around in some fraternity's letters. I was given several shirts by fraternity men and so were many of my sisters. It wasn't a huge deal.

I am married now and my husband went with me to several date parties. He still wears some of the date party shirts to the gym. We live in an area close to the school we attended and I think that he wants to show off that he went to these date parties. I see no problem with men wearing date party shirts. I invited the person and paid for the shirt. Men at my school loved to get the shirts from the events.

Now, I do have a problem when other women (non greek or other sorority women) are wearing my letters. This would usually be acquired as a "shack" shirt. It would totally make me mad b/c the person had not been given the shirt by a member of my sorority and really had no right to wear the letters. This didn't happen very often at my school.

BTW, when I talk about letters, it can be the letters written out in english or greek on t-shirts or even stitched on letters. I have two fraternity shirts that have stitched on letters and that wasn't a problem. I guess that norms and standards are really set by each campus and it's greek system. What is totally acceptable at one school, is so wrong at another school.

I no longer wear most of my sorority shirts (been out a few years) but I will NOT throw them away or give them away. I admire the statement above about someone being glad that someone had something to wear, but I guess that I'm not that nice. :p I donate tons of my nongreek clothing to charities. I will take my GLO shirts and have them made into a quilt. The ones I don't use for the quilt I will just keep until they rot.

Just my $.02 worth...:)

this will never happen

This is a question for members of BGLOs:

I know ya'll don't approve of non-members wearing your letters. But on our Greek Week shirt, all the fraternity and sorority letters are on the back, including BLGO letters. Do ya'll dislike that, or is it different?

It does. I've seen women wearing your letters.

Anyway, I had a funny run-in that I don't think I ever posted about. I was working at the wrap desk during the Christmas rush, and had met quite a few sorority women - I always wear my lavalier to work so people notice it. One woman came up to me and was wearing an Illinois Sigma Chi/Delta Delta Delta Homecoming sweatshirt. I asked her if she was a Tri Delt, and she said "No, my sister dated one and he gave it to her, then she gave me this sweatshirt." :eek: I told her that she probably meant her sister dated a Sigma Chi, and she's like "Oh, I guess so, I just wear it because I like it." It was so random.

Aww, that is so cute! :)


Now, I do have a problem when other women (non greek or other sorority women) are wearing my letters. This would usually be acquired as a "shack" shirt. It would totally make me mad b/c the person had not been given the shirt by a member of my sorority and really had no right to wear the letters. This didn't happen very often at my school.

What is a "shack" shirt? I've never heard that term. I thought maybe it meant that the shirt was borrowed by a girl after shacking up with the shirt's owner but if "shacking up" means the same thing it did when I was in college I seriously doubt if that is the case!

BTW, when I talk about letters, it can be the letters written out in english or greek on t-shirts or even stitched on letters. I have two fraternity shirts that have stitched on letters and that wasn't a problem. I guess that norms and standards are really set by each campus and it's greek system. What is totally acceptable at one school, is so wrong at another school.

I think that is so cool that it was acceptable at your school. My best guy friend lent me a letter shirt one time when I stayed over at his place and didn't want it back because it was too small. But I never wore it again because it was very unusual to see a sorority woman sporting fraternity letters and on the rare occasion that someone was spotted doing so everyone assumed she'd banged half the fraternity and finally some brother was dimwitted enough let her sleep in a letter shirt and forget to get it back :(

I no longer wear most of my sorority shirts (been out a few years) but I will NOT throw them away or give them away. I admire the statement above about someone being glad that someone had something to wear, but I guess that I'm not that nice. :p I donate tons of my nongreek clothing to charities. I will take my GLO shirts and have them made into a quilt. The ones I don't use for the quilt I will just keep until they rot.


That is such a great idea; I love it! :)

i'm sure it's happened for all of the frats. maybe a jacket if the woman is cold. if it's another guy, it's getting taken off.

Won't that get someone arrested or something?

I completely agree!! You know, if I saw a woman in a Theta Nu line shirt, she BETTER be a soror or it's on. If I saw a man in one, we'd be having words!! I don't know how I feel about my letters being on t-shirts, at all. Oh, and if I saw a man wearing a Theta Nu crossing jacket, and if his girl weren't standing right next to him to explain herself, there would be a HUGE problem!!

The ONLY reason you should ever wear letters is if you know what they mean. If someone is wearing letters who is not part of the organization, I'm going to assume that person knows what the letters mean and then I'll wonder what kind of member would give out such sacred information. But, I don't think I'd mind horribly if I saw a man wearing a shirt that said, "My Lady is a Theta Nu" or something to that effect. Of course, I'd ask who the "Lady" was and what chapter she was from...then we'd get back into what I was talking about before and I don't want to have to throw dem bows!!!

And I don't blame you guys one bit for protecting your letters! If you don't know what they stand for, don't be caught wearing 'em. It leads to - at the very least - awkward moments, especially if you decide to prove if they are really members by the usual manners and methods (secret grips, phrases, etc.) and they don't know how to respond properly.

The same goes with wearing the Masonic Square and Compasses - in certain states, it is a crime to wear them if you are not a Master Mason in good standing.

Too bad....one of the lines of our creed is "to lend to those less fortunate a helping hand"... another line is "to esteem the inner man above culture, wealth or pedigree".

If that means donating clothing with our name on it to charity, so that someone has relatively decent clothes to wear, then I think we are "living our creed" and not just paying lip service.

Hah yeah...this girl I just saw was wearing those iota letters and washing this oldsmobile in the south side of chicago. It was pretty obvious she didn't care and the shirt and letters were all dirty. It wasn't even hers and it was ALL MESSED UP!

-Rudey
--I guess those guys didn't care enough and gave it to her for some reason?!?

I really don't have a problem with people wearing a shirt saying "Alpha Sigma Tau" but letters I would, espcially if they aren't Greek. In my eyes, someone wearing a shirt that said Alpha Sigma Tau on it would have to know that Alpha Sigma Tau is a National sorority and if they are interested in contacting them or learning about what a sorority is, that the person wearing the shirt knows the person to contact. I find this a good recruiting idea.

Anyway. I have a shirt from the Zeta Tau Chapter of Theta Chi that says "Theta Chi Girl" on it because I'm a sweetheart of theirs and let alone I earned that shirt (I support those boys by doing philanthropy's with them, fundraising and much more...I even sometimes clean their house. I know I'm crazy for cleaning their house but hey, I was staying a week there!). I never wear their letters unless I am cold in the house and the guy I am seeing gives me his hoodie that says Theta Chi on it but also has his letters on it. I never leave that house with his hoodie on. I know not too. His brothers don't mind me wearing the hoodie either while I'm in the house.

ummm, that's a negative. but thanks for playing anyway.

Re: other people wearing your letters
 

I was up at UT a couple of weeks ago for their Dance Marathon, and I was looking for other DG's, but not many people were wearing their letters. Well, I finally found one girl wearing a DG/Phi Mu date party shirt, and I was too embarrassed to ask her if she was a DG. Turns out she was, but I know why you feel that way after this. I also had brought a UT DG/ZTA date party shirt with me b/c I thought it was funny (I had received it at a t-shirt trade). I ended up not wearing it because I didn't want people wondering why they didn't know this girl in their chapter, or thinking that I was a ZTA. I don't think I would have had a problem putting my letters with another sorority's, but I completely understand you having a problem with it.